Ferdinand zucchini



(No Model.)

I. ZUCCHINI. OYSTER OPENING MACHINE No. 545,329. Patented Aug. 27, 1895.

INVENTUH ll TTDHWEM WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FERDINAND ZUCCHINI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

OYSTER-OPENING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,329, dated August 27, 1895.

7 Application filed October 17, 1894- Serial No. 526,168. (No model.)

f0 (ti Z who??? it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND ZUCCHINI, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oyster- Opening Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to oyster-opening machines, and has for its object to provide a simple, cheap, readily-constructed, and perfectly-operating device of this character, by means of which an oyster may expeditiously be opened in similar manner to thatin which it is ordinarily effected by hand.

The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts herein after fully described, and disclosed in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the device ready to be operated. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section of the device. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the opener box or hearing.

In the practice of myvinvention I construct a base or bed plate A, having a depending clamp B, by means of which it may be secured to a bench, table, or other support. The bedplate A is cut out in its upper surface centrally to form a recess or concavity A, extending through the front end of the plate and of sufficient size to receive an oyster therein. At the opposite side of the plate is an integral upwardly-projecting lug A which extends over the recess A to bear upon the oyster, and thus maintain the same in position. Upon the rear side of the bed-plate A and upon an extension A thereon are secured angular bearings C and D, in the first of which is journaled a vertical rod E, having a head or handle E and bearing directly upon the oyster, being maintained in thedepressed position by means-of a spiral spring F, surrounding the said rod, between the under surface of the bearing and a collar or near the lower end of the said rod. Journaled in the bearing D is a plunger G, having a convex head G, between which and the bearing is a spiral spring H, surrounding the said plunger to maintain the same normally raised.

The plunger has formed or secured upon the lower end thereof an elongated flat knifeblade I, and by reason of the extension A holdingthe bearing D beyond the forward edge of the plate A the said knife, when depressed, passes slightly in front of the said plate. Projecting forwardly from the center of the bed-plate is an extension A in alignment with the base of the recess A, at the junction of which extension and the plate is embedded a strip of elastic or flexible mate rial b, which receives the impact of the knife I. At the forward end of the extension A are upwardly-projecting posts 0, connected by a cross-piece d, between which is inserted a vertical sliding box 6, which has journaled therein a rod or lever J, provided with a handle J upon the outer end thereof and upon the inner end with a fiat knife-blade J shaped similarly to the knife-blade I. The box c has a circular aperture 6' extending thercthrough to receive the rod or lever J, which said aperture is outwardly flared at each end to permit the upward and downward and also slightly lateral movement of the said rod to accommodate itself to the edge of the oyster.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. The oyster having been placedin the recess or concavity A beneath the lug A and the rod E, the sameis held comparatively firmly in place, whereupon the head G of the plunger G is struck sharply with the hand, thereby causing the knife I to descend and strike off one end of the oyster, the said knife immediately thereafter rising out of contact therewith. The rod .I is then forced inwardly and manipulated until the knife-blade J" thereon enters between the out or broken shells, and the said rod is given a half-turn to force the said shells apart, the spring F upon the rod E affording a cushion which permits sufficient upward movement of the top shell to enable the knife J to separate the said shells. Such rod, however, might possibly be dispensed with and the lug A alone used. The rod J is then drawn outwardly and the oyster slipped out of the recess A whereupon the upper shell may be immediately removed by the hand and the oyster is ready for serving.

The advantages resultant from the use of the invention will be manifest to all who are conversant with the inconvenient and crude devices heretofore employed in opening oysters.

I do not confine myself to the exact formationof parts and construction of details herein set forth and illustrated, as the same may be changed or varied in many particulars.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An oyster opening machine comprising a bed-plate adapted to receive an oyster therein, means thereon for holding the oyster, a knife journaled vertically upon .said plate,

'adapted to be depressed to strike off one end of the oyster-,a spring above the knife to maintain the same normally raised, and an opening blade at one end of the plate adapted to be forced inwardly between the shells of the oyster to separate the same.

2. An oyster opening machine comprising a bed-plate having arecess therein to receive an oyster, a normally depressed plunger journaled above the plate to retain the oyster in position, a vertically journaled depressible knife adapted to strike off one end of the oyster and mounted near the edge of the plate, an extension at said end of the plate, and a reciprocable and partially rotatable knife mounted in said extension, and projecting inwardly upon a substantial level with the plate to enter between the shells of the oyster.

3. An oyster opening machine comprising a bed-plate having a clamp to secure it to a supporting surface, and a recess therein to receive the oyster, a spring pressed rod mounted upon the plate and arranged to bear upon the oyster and hold the same yieldingly in place, a normally raised spring plunger mounted upon said plate and having a flat elongated knife blade upon the lower end thereof to strike off one end of the oyster, an extension projecting forwardly from the bedplate, having bearings thereon in which is mounted a vertically sliding box, a rod journaled in the said box in such manner as to be capable of pivotal movement, a fiat knife blade upon the inner end of the said rod, and

a handle upon the outer end thereof adapted to force the same inwardly to bring the knife blade into engagement between the shells of the oyster.

4:. An oyster opening machine'comprising a bed-plate having a clamp depending therefrom to secure the same to a supporting surface, a recess or concavity to receive the oyster in the top of the said plate, opening at the front of the same, a lug projecting from the said plate over the recess to receive the oyster thereunder, an angular bearing atthe rear of the plate overhanging the recess, a rod journaled therein having a handle thereon to raise the same, and a spiral spring surrounding the said rod to normally press the same downwardly upon the oyster, an extension at the rear of the plate, a similar angular bearing secured to the said -extension, ranging over and slightly in front of the recess, avertical plunger journaled in the said bearing, having a fiat elongated knife blade formed upon the lower end thereof, a head upon the top thereof, and a springbetween the hearing and the head arranged to maintain the said plunger normally raised, an extension projecting forwardly from the plate, having yielding material secured thereto in align ment with the plunger to take the impact of the knife, bearings projecting upwardly from the end of the said extension, a box sliding vertically between the same, having an aperture extending therethrough and outwardly flared at each end, arod journaled in the said aperture having a flat elongated knife blade upon theinner end thereof, and a handle upon the outer end thereof to force the said rod inwardly, whereby the knife may be brought into engagement between the shells of the oysters to separate the same, snbstantiallyas shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as .my invention I have signed my name, in pres- 

